Abstract:  The modeling, simulation and analysis of integrated building energy and control systems that significantly reduce energy consumption poses challenges that are not well addressed by standard building simulation programs. This seminar discusses how modular system modeling based on the object-oriented equation-based Modelica language and on co-simulation can address these challenges. We demonstrate applications that are enabled by this new approach and that are outside the scope of standard building simulation programs. To be able to link the more modern approaches with existing simulation programs and with building automation systems, we developed the Building Controls Virtual Test Bed. The approach and implementation of the Building Controls Virtual Test Bed will be presented together with applications that it enables. We will close by presenting R&D needs of the above technologies.

Bio:  Michael Wetter is a Computational Scientist in the Simulation Research Group at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). His research includes integrating building performance simulation tools into the research process, as well as their use for design and operation of buildings. Prior to joining LBNL, he led the development of building system models in Modelica to support the controls design and innovation process at the United Technologies Research Center (UTRC). He did his dissertation at the University of California at Berkeley and at LBNL, where he created the GenOpt optimization program and the BuildOpt building simulation program and where he developed the first building energy optimization technique that provably converges to the optimal building design. He is an experienced developer and user of various building simulation programs in industry and research. He is a recipient of the Outstanding Young Contributor Award of the International Building Performance Simulation Association (IBPSA), the vice president of IBPSA-USA and a member of ASHRAE.

Host:  Igor Mezic/Bryan Eisenhower